William Alexander Haley Sr.

BEAUFORT - William "Fella" Alexander Haley Sr., 67, died Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, at the VA Medical Center in Durham.

He retired as a first sergeant from the U.S. Army having served as an instructor for the Defense Department Equal Opportunity Management Institute, an Army recruiter, and in Vietnam earning the Bronze Star. It was after the death of his father, Alex Haley, author of ROOTS, that he sought to preserve the legacy of works and the message of "family" his father often spoke about during his lifetime. He created the Haley Family Corporation in St. Louis and led ROOTS tours back to the village of Juffure, where his father Alex discovered the name and history of "the African" Kunta Kinte. He also opened and operated the Alex Haley Museum in "old" Annapolis, Md.

A celebration of life service will be held 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, at Queen Street MB Church, 510 Queen St., Beaufort, with the Rev. William Ellison officiating.

He is survived by his mother, Nannie Branch Haley of Beaufort; wife, Barbara Wall Haley of Columbia, S.C.; two sons, William Alexander Haley Jr. of Los Angeles, and Todd Alexander Haley of Columbia, S.C.; one daughter, Tara Haley of Columbia, S.C.; two sisters, Lydia Ann Haley of Beaufort and Cynthia Haley Dunn of Atlanta; and three granddaughters.

Online condolences are accepted at oscarsmortuary.com.

Arrangements are by Oscar's Mortuary, Inc.